Maling Temple
媽靈宮
Religion
AffiliationChinese folk religion, Taoism
DeityWang Baoying
Location
LocationHoulong, Miaoli County
CountryTaiwan
Geographic coordinates24°35′14″N 120°43′32″E / 24.5873°N 120.7256°E / 24.5873; 120.7256
Architecture
Completed1930[1]
Direction of façadeSouthwest

Maling Temple (Chinese: 媽靈宮; pinyin: Mālíng Gōng) is a temple located in the village of Chituqi, Houlong Township, Miaoli County, Taiwan.

Origin

Wang Baoying's statue within the main hall.

Chituqi is located on top of a plateau near the coast along the Taiwan Strait. Historically, the area was mostly uninhabited and undeveloped for its remoteness and superstitions surrounding an unmarked mass grave there. In 1930, a yin miao (temple for ghosts) named "Wanshan Temple" (萬善祠) was constructed near the remains. According to legend, a pair of ghosts, one male and one female, dwelled in the area that would lead the way for lost travelers. Merchants claimed that every time the pair appeared, their business for the day would be good. Fishermen also claimed that a fireball would shoot up from the temple whenever the ocean's conditions were dangerous the next day. Therefore, The pair of ghosts were seen as deities, and in the 1960s, it was rebuilt and dedicated to the ghosts.[1][2]

According to temple officials, the female ghost was named Wang Baoying (王寶英), and is believed to be a consort to Qianlong Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. Supposedly, Wang led an army in 1741 to quash a pro-Ming rebel's forces in Taiwan. When they landed in Tamsui, Wang befriended Liu Xuanxiang (劉玄祥), who served as her lead. However, the entire army was annihilated in Chitugi in an ambush. Wang and Liu are known as Dazhongma (大眾媽) and Dazhongye (大眾爺), respectively. The bones from the mass grave are now stored in the temple.[2][3]

Worship

Every lunar year one day after Lantern Festival, Maling Temple celebrates the birthday of Wang Baoying. The temple places a wide variety of offerings on top of a camphor wood turtle plate, a tradition stemming from red tortoise cakes. The offerings are different every year based on the wishes of Wang Baoying.[4][5]

Chiang Kai-shek memorial

The interior or the Chaing Kai-shek shrine.

Directly adjacent to Maling Temple, there is a shrine dedicated to Chiang Kai-shek and the City God. The shrine was built near Chiang's death by a nearby resident with the surname Ho, who upon the shrine's completion lived in it. When Ho passed away, his descendants donated the shrine to Maling Temple.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 蔡承甫 (19 September 2019). "亦鬼亦神：媽靈宮大眾媽護眾生的靈驗事蹟". 民俗亂彈 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 台灣淡南民俗文化研究會. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 黃彥昇 (4 May 2018). "苗栗後龍媽靈宮 大眾媽如慈母守護鄉里". Now News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. ↑ 何宗翰 (7 February 2012). "後龍媽靈宮》超大福龜 3600斤食福" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Liberty Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. ↑ 謝明俊 (9 February 2020). "後龍鎮媽靈宮舉行元宵祈福龜活動" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). China Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  5. ↑ 彭健禮 (6 March 2015). "大眾媽逢聖誕 千斤福龜今供「食福」" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Liberty Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  6. ↑ 張裕珍 (29 June 2016). "後龍有座中正堂 銅像、黨徽 還住了城隍爺" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). United Daily News. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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